Champion jockey Joao Moreira wants to spread the magic around in pursuit of Australia’s biggest races

“MAGIC Man” Joao Moreira wants to be Aussie Joao and is already on the lookout for a Melbourne Cup ride.

“MAGIC Man” Joao Moreira wants to be Aussie Joao.

The world’s best jockey has opened up about his desire to ride Down Under more often and appealed to Aussie trainers to contact him directly.

As he prepared to ride in his first Stradbroke Handicap, the boy from Brazil who grew up stealing horses, says he wants to pinch more of Australia’s biggest races.

Hong Kong champion Moreira will ride Counterattack for Chris Waller on Saturday but wants to broaden his horizons and ride for many more Australian trainers.

“I have a strong relationship with Waller but I don’t just want to ride (in Australia) for him, I also want to ride for any trainer who calls me up,’’ Moreira said.

“Why should I not be a chance to ride for more Australian trainers? I would like more of them to call me, because it is a place I love riding.

“When they ring I will just deal with them myself, because I don’t have a manager. I want to ride good horses, but I am happy to ride some not so good ones too because you never know what it will lead to.

“I am already keeping a lookout for a Melbourne Cup ride and hopefully they (Australian trainers) call me up to have some rides in the big races before the Cup.

“If I ride more in Australia I will end up bringing over more competition, which is a good thing, and I am sure Australian jockeys would look at that the same way.’’

On Saturday, Moreira will renew his association with Waller for whom he has won three Australian Group 1s on Brazen Beau (2014 Coolmore and 2015 Newmarket) and He’s Your Man (2014 Epsom).

Joao Moreira gets a kiss from Stephanie Waller, wife of Chris Waller, left, after he won The Epsom on He's Your Man in 2014. Picture: Mark Evans

Moreira said his initial contact with Sydney’s premier trainer came when he was riding in Singapore and he was first lured to Australia by billionaire Nathan Tinkler’s former Patinack Farm operation.

The star jockey has not been to Queensland before but he is excited about riding in the Stradbroke. He may contact his friend tommy Berry, who won the 2014 J.J. Atkins on Almalad, for riding tips on the Eagle Farm track.

“I will be trying to get some good sleep on the plane and I will have a nice bath and watch some TV to relax when I arrive,’’ Moreira said. “Tommy Berry has been very nice to me and sometimes I ask him for advice on riding on Australian tracks.’’

Joao Moreira is on the lookout for a Melbourne Cup ride this year. Picture: Colleen Petch

Moreira was given his “Magic Man” nickname by Singapore racecaller Craig Evans, who felt the jockey made magic happen even if he was riding a slow horse.

The rider has a fascinating and colourful past in Brazil, growing up 600km west of Sao Paulo.

Moreira revealed how he learnt to ride by pinching horses from a neighbourhood property and riding them bareback in the dead of night.

“I was pretty wild when I was young and I used to jump out the window late at night and go to the neighbour’s farm and ride their horses,’’ Moreira said. “During the night the owners of the horses were sleeping so that was the only time I could ride them.

“If I hadn’t done that, I never would have fallen in love with horses and who knows what I would be doing today?”

Joao Moreira will ride Counterattack for Chris Waller in the Stradbroke on Saturday. Picture: Colleen Petch

Originally published as Champion jockey Joao Moreira wants to spread the magic around in pursuit of Australia’s biggest races